LIMA — Unemployment in Ohio has risen to levels not seen since the early 1980s, due to statewide layoffs associated with the COVID-19 epidemic. At the same time, “Help Wanted” signs are more prevalent in and around Lima than at any time in recent memory. Additionally, according to some employment staffing experts, there are greater incentives than ever for Ohioans to stay at home and not look for jobs.
What’s to be made of the current job market?
“These are strange times,” said Roche Simmons, president and owner of Custom Staffing in Lima.
There are jobs to be filled in an around Lima, he said, but there are other factors at play.
Simmons questions whether a $600 federal stipend that has been added to weekly benefits for unemployed Ohio workers off has been well thought-out.
“That’s the scary part. The feds may have incentivized this too much. With that extra $600 there are certain wage-earning workers who are making more money sitting at home” than they would actively seeking employment, Simmons said. “I understand that the federal government is trying to inject confidence and get some money into these people’s pockets, but sometimes I feel they don’t think about what they’re doing.”
Karen Grothouse at Spherion staffing agency in Lima has similar concerns.
“Is that extra $600 a deterrent? I think it’s worrisome,” Grothouse said. “Even before that (stipend) was added there were some employees who were making more (money) by not working. We do have a concern about this. Things are so fluid right now; things are changing by the hour.”
Simmons and Grothouse each said some segments of the economy are doing well at the current time.
“We’re seeing some industries down significantly, like the auto industry, while on the other hand in the food production business there’s a great demand for workers. If you’re a company that makes yogurt or pork rinds or handles fruits and vegetables, you need workers right now,” said Simmons.
Grothouse said a new occupation has arisen from the novel coronavirus: temperature-checkers.
“That’s a real thing that we’ve never seen before,” said the employment specialist. “Companies are hiring people to take the temperature of all their employees.” She said prospective candidates to fill those positions have stepped forward.
“Absolutely they have. They feel comfortable working for a company that takes the health of their employees that seriously.”
Amy Freymuth, director of Workforce Development for the Auglaize County Job and Family Services office, said her office is fielding telephone calls from job-seekers on a daily basis.
“We have plenty of employers out there who are hiring at this time,” Freymuth said earlier this week. “I took a call yesterday from someone who told me their job skills and then I tried to match them with our list of essential employers. We are still looking for people and we want job-seekers to know there are still jobs available — especially if you have a background in the medical field.”
The Acres of Wapakoneta had been actively seeking employees in the health care field, from State Tested Nursing Assistants to Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. But a spokesperson at the facility on Friday said the need for new hires has subsided. “My director of nursing says we’re okay right now,”she said.
Roselawn Manor in Spencerville has similar medical personnel hiring needs, according to its Facebook page, where job-seekers are urged to call 419-647-4115 or visit roselawnmanor.hcshiring.com for more information.
While the doors at are staffing agencies are currently closed to walk-in traffic, Simmons stressed that his company is ready and willing to assist employers and job-seekers locally.
“We’re conducting business a little different right now that normal. We were ahead of the state in locking down and closed our office to the public three weeks ago,” Simmons said.
“We’re doing a lot of stuff virtually these days, although at some point we need that face-to-face interaction. We only let potential candidates (for employment) into the office after doing our initial interviews by telephone. People can’t walk in our doors; they still need an appointment .”
Asked if there is a silver lining to the current employment picture, “I haven’t seen it yet,” Simmons said. “If there is, it’s that a lot of our companies went through the last recession and they learned how to do their jobs more efficiently and to do them better. Maybe this is another reset button.”
But uncertainty is still a predominant feeling throughout the employment market.
“Everybody is just waiting. Potential employees are being cautious,” Simmons said. “Nobody wants to get sick. It’s just too soon to tell, but for the most part people are optimistic that the big (economic) boom will come.”
Bobbie Thompson, manager of the Chief Supermarket in Delphos, said the boom has arrived at her store. With sit-down restaurants temporarily shuttered and students home from school, consumers more than ever are preparing home-cooked meals. That translates into increased sales at grocery outlets and, in turn, an increased need for employees.
“We’re up about 30% a week in sales from the prior year,” said Thompson. “We’re doing a lot of volume right now, and we’ve had to add some employees. We’re still looking to hire and could use cashiers, workers in the deli and produce departments and some help on the night crew. People can apply on our website.”
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
